Heatwave claims 5 lives in N-India, WB; Ganganagar hottest

New Delhi: Heatwave swept many parts of
northern and eastern India Sunday, with Ganganagar in Rajasthan
reeling at 44.8 degree Celsius and the national capital recording the season`s highest temperature.

According to reports, the scorching heat wave has killed five people in northern part of the country.

Soaring mercury, coupled with power woos, made life miserable for people in West Bengal where Purulia recorded 44 degrees and Kolkata 41 degrees, five notches above normal.
Heatwave warnings were issued in many districts like West Midnapore, Birbhum, Bankura, and Burdwan. Many areas suffered power black outs with several units of Kolaghat, Bakreshwar
and Purulia power generating stations breaking down.

Meanwhile, the national capital recorded the highest
temperature this summer with the maximum rising to 41.6 degree
Celsius, six notches above normal. The minimum also touched
this month`s high at 24.4 C, four degrees above normal.

The maximum crossed the 40-degree mark two days ago when
it touched 40.1 degree Celsius. Yesterday the city recorded a
high of 40.5 degrees. The denizens had experienced unusually
hot days last month, which the MeT Department said was the
second warmest March for the city since 1901.
In the desert state of Rajasthan, Ganganagar sizzled at
44.8 degrees followed by Churu 43.3 C, Kota 42.3 C, Jodhpur
40.6 C, Jaisalmer 40.5 C and Balmer 40.2 C.

In Punjab and Haryana too, most parts recorded
temperatures above the 40-degree mark. Hisar was hottest in
the region with a maximum temperature of 44.3 degrees, eight
notches above normal, while the high in Patiala settled at
41.6 C, seven degrees above normal, and Karnal 41 C.

Elsewhere, Ambala recorded a maximum temperature of 40.8
C, Ludhiana 40.6 C, Amritsar 40.2 C and Chandigarh 39.8 C.
Normal life was affected in several areas due to shortage of
electricity and water as people remained mostly indoors.

In Jammu and Kashmir, winter capital Jammu endured a hot
day recording a high of 39.5 degrees, seven notches above
normal. The night temperature in the `City of Temples` was
also two degrees above normal at 22.4 C.

The hilly state of Himachal Pradesh experienced a warm
weather with Una recording a high of 41 C, Sundernagar 37.4 C
and Bhuntar 35.7 C. Capital Shimla recorded a maximum
temperature of 27.8 degree celsius and a minimum of 17.3 C.

Uttarakhand too had hot and humid conditions with capital
Dehradun recording a maximum temperature of 38.3 C, the
highest this season.